mad as a hornet
Seething with rage
Mad as a hornet means extremely angry, furious to the point of aggression.
Hornets are notoriously ill-tempered insects that attack when disturbed, making them a vivid comparison for someone in a rage: When she found out he'd lied, she was mad as a hornet.
The phrase emphasizes volatile, stinging anger rather than quiet resentment.
- fit to be tiedExtremely angry, enraged
- seeing redOvercome by fury
- red in the faceVisibly embarrassed or ashamed
- apoplecticOvercome by rage
- enragedExtremely, intensely provoked
furious · spitting nails · infuriate · incensed · livid · hopping mad · beside oneself · outraged · seething · wrathful · on the warpath · mad · hot under the collar · fuming · irate · boiling over · angry · maddened
- anger expressionssee red, seeing red, lose your temper, blow a fuse, blow a gasket
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse